Multi-autonomous vehicle servicing and control system and methods

Abstract

Systems and methods for multi-autonomous vehicle servicing and control are provided. A method can include receiving a service request for a vehicle service. The method can include determining a vehicle route from the start location to the end location. The method can include identifying a plurality of candidate vehicles from a plurality of autonomous vehicles. The method can include obtaining data indicative of one or more operational capabilities for each candidate vehicle in the plurality of autonomous vehicles. The method can include segmenting the vehicle route into one or more route segments based on the one or more operational capabilities associated with each autonomous vehicle in the plurality of autonomous vehicles. The method can include assigning at least two candidate vehicles to perform the vehicle service by assigning at least one of the one or more route segments to each of the at least two candidate vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for multi-autonomous vehicle servicing, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, a service request for a vehicle service, wherein the service request comprises a start location and an end location; 
 determining, by the computing system, a vehicle route from the start location to the end location; 
 identifying, by the computing system, a plurality of candidate vehicles from a plurality of autonomous vehicles, wherein each candidate vehicle in the plurality of candidate vehicles is available to perform at least one portion of the vehicle route; 
 obtaining, by the computing system, capability data indicative of one or more operational capabilities for each candidate vehicle in the plurality of autonomous vehicles; 
 determining, using the capability data, that the vehicle route is to be executed using more than one of the plurality of candidate vehicles; 
 segmenting, by the computing system, the vehicle route into a plurality of route segments based, at least in part, on the capability data; 
 assigning, by the computing system, a first route segment of the plurality of route segments to a first candidate vehicle of the plurality of candidate vehicles and a second route segment of the plurality of route segments to a second candidate vehicle of the plurality of candidate vehicles; and 
 communicating, by the computing system, data indicative of the first candidate vehicle and the second candidate vehicle. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computing system, one or more transfer locations for the vehicle route using the capability data; and 
 segmenting, by the computing system, the vehicle route into the plurality of route segments based, at least in part, on the one or more transfer locations. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the one or more transfer locations for the vehicle route comprises:
 receiving, by the computing system, a plurality of second service requests for a plurality of second vehicle services; 
 determining, by the computing system, a common transfer location for the vehicle route based, at least in part, on the plurality of second service requests; 
 wherein segmenting the vehicle route into the plurality of route segments comprises: determining, by the computing system, a common route segment associated with each second service request in the plurality of second service requests based, at least in part, on the common transfer location; and 
 wherein assigning the first candidate vehicle and the second candidate vehicle to perform the vehicle service comprises: assigning, by the computing system, a common autonomous vehicle to the common route segment. 
 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of route segments are indicative of at least two legs, further comprising:
 determining, by the computing system, that the first candidate vehicle is capable of servicing the at least two legs of the first route segment based, at least in part, on a first set of operational capabilities associated with the first candidate vehicle; and 
 determining, by the computing system, that the second candidate vehicle is capable of servicing the at least two legs of the second route segment based, at least in part, on a second set of operational capabilities associated with the second candidate vehicle. 
 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first candidate vehicle is included in a first fleet of autonomous vehicles of a first vehicle provider and the second candidate vehicle is included in a second fleet of autonomous vehicles of a second vehicle provider, wherein the first fleet of autonomous vehicles is different than the second fleet of autonomous vehicles. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 communicating, by the computing system, data indicative of the first route segment for the first candidate vehicle; and 
 communicating, by the computing system, data indicative of the second route segment for the second candidate vehicle. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more operational capabilities for each candidate vehicle comprise at least one of: a driving capability or an area permission. 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the driving capability for an autonomous vehicle indicates one or more restricted driving maneuvers the autonomous vehicle is unable to perform or one or more autonomous driving maneuvers the autonomous vehicle is able to perform; and 
 the area permission indicates one or more geographic areas in which the autonomous vehicle is permitted to travel. 
 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing, by the computing system, data indicative of the vehicle route, a number of vehicles for the vehicle route, and/or the plurality of route segments of the vehicle route to a user. 
 
     
     
       10. A computer-implemented method for multi-autonomous vehicle servicing, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, a service request for a vehicle service, wherein the service request comprises a start location and an end location; 
 determining, by the computing system, a vehicle route from the start location to the end location; 
 determining, by the computing system, a plurality of candidate vehicles from a plurality of vehicles, wherein each candidate vehicle in the plurality of candidate vehicles is available to perform at least one portion of the vehicle route; 
 obtaining, by the computing system, capability data indicative of one or more operational capabilities of the plurality of candidate vehicles; 
 determining, using the capability data, that the vehicle route is to be executed using more than one of the plurality of candidate vehicles; 
 segmenting, by the computing system, the vehicle route into a plurality of route segments based, at least in part, on the capability data; 
 assigning, by the computing system, a first route segment of the plurality of route segments to a first candidate vehicle of the plurality of candidate vehicles and a second route segment of the plurality of route segments to a second candidate vehicle of the plurality of candidate vehicles; and 
 communicating, by the computing system, data indicative of the service request to first candidate vehicle and the second candidate vehicle. 
 
     
     
       11. The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of route segments are also based, at least in part, on one or more convenience factors associated with the service request. 
     
     
       12. The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computing system, one or more transfer locations for the vehicle route based, at least in part, on the capability data; and 
 segmenting, by the computing system, the vehicle route into the plurality of route segments based, at least in part, on the one or more transfer locations. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more convenience factors associated with the service request comprise one or more of a price, a number of transfer locations, and a time. 
     
     
       14. The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computing system, one or more ancillary vehicle routes based on the vehicle route, a number of vehicles assigned for the service request, and the one or more convenience factors associated with the service request, wherein each of the one or more ancillary vehicle routes are associated with a different number of vehicles. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 in response to receiving the service request for a vehicle service for a user, providing, by the computing system, data indicative of the vehicle route and the one or more ancillary vehicle routes to the user. 
 
     
     
       16. A computing system comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer readable media that collectively store instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising: 
 receiving a service request for a vehicle service, wherein the service request comprises a start location and an end location; 
 determining vehicle route from the start location to the end location; 
 identifying a plurality of candidate vehicles from a plurality of autonomous vehicles, wherein each candidate vehicle in the plurality of candidate vehicles is available to perform at least one portion of the vehicle route; 
 obtaining, by the computing system, capability data indicative of one or more operational capabilities for each candidate vehicle in the plurality of autonomous vehicles; 
 determining, using the capability data, that the vehicle route is to be executed using more than one of the plurality of candidate vehicles; 
 segmenting the vehicle route into a plurality of route segments based, at least in part, on the capability data; 
 assigning a first route segment of the plurality of route segments to a first candidate vehicle of the plurality of candidate vehicles and a second route segment of the plurality of route segments to a second candidate vehicle of the plurality of candidate vehicles; and 
 communicating data indicative of the service request to the first candidate vehicle and the second candidate vehicle. 
 
     
     
       17. The computing system of  claim 16 , wherein each autonomous vehicle in the plurality of autonomous vehicles is a third party autonomous vehicle. 
     
     
       18. The computing system of  claim 17 , wherein the first candidate vehicle is included in a first autonomous vehicle fleet of a first vehicle provider and the second candidate vehicle is included in a second autonomous vehicle fleet of a second vehicle provider. 
     
     
       19. The computing system of  claim 18 , wherein the first autonomous vehicle fleet is associated with a first set of operational capabilities, and wherein the second autonomous vehicle fleet is associated with a second set of operational capabilities, and wherein at least a subset of the first set of operational capabilities is different than at least a subset of the second set of operational capabilities.